The Legislature finds that many programs of the department are hindered by the length of time required for the state to execute contracts and pay vendor claims. These programs include, but are not limited to, community hypertension, rural health services development, family planning, genetic counseling, supplemental feeding program for women, infants, and children, sickle cell disease and newborn screening projects. This hardship is particularly felt by new or small community-based public or private nonprofit agencies with modest reserves and cash-flow problems. It is the intent of the Legislature that advance payment authority be established for the department in order to alleviate those problems for those types of contractors to the extent possible.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may, to the extent funds are available, provide for advance payments for services to be performed under any contract, with a total annual contract amount of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) or less, that the department determines has been entered into with any small, community-based public or private nonprofit agency with modest reserves and potential cash-flow problems. These programs include, but are not limited to, the following:
(a) Community hypertension.
(b) Genetic disease programs.
(c) Supplemental feeding programs for women, infants and children.
(d) Sickle cell disease.
(e) Newborn screening projects.
(f) Rural health programs.
(g) Indian health programs.
No advance payment or aggregate of advance payments made pursuant to this section shall exceed 25 percent of the total annual contract amount. No advance payment should be made pursuant to this section if the applicable federal law prohibits advance payment.
(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1996.)